Rick could very well have had this discussion alone, a face to face with his antagonist but Michonne is present. And she is not here to listen passively but to actively participate. She is there as a co-leader, they are talking to him together, finishing the other’s sentences.
This sequence is powerful, and it highlights the dynamics of this couple. It’s supposed to be a proof that Richonne are equal. Yet this scene proves to me in many ways that it is not quite true. There is a little balance of power between them.
In fact, this scene highlights mostly Michonne: surrounded by 3 men including 2 alpha men, she is still the most threatening, the one that imposes the most respect. She leads the conversation, she is the first one speaking.
She is the one who puts Negan in his place.
Moreover, it is her who is closest to him, the angle of the camera accentuating this impression of dominance.
Rick turns to her to be reassured after pronouncing the name of his son.
Rick approaches her to finish their speech. She does not move, keeping her majestic posture. Of the four visible people, we only focus on her.
And more importantly, she has the last word. As Rick is about to leave, she decides that their little speech is not quite finished. As a leader, she is the one who says the last sentence Negan is forced to meditate on. She puts the final point wich adds to her authority.
This scene is also there for that: showing us her authority. It is a message for those who think that Michonne is only there to follow Rick blindly, that she always does what Rick wants. Thinking like that is not understand their dynamics. Actually, I think we’ve seen the opposite more often: Michonne ends up having the last word more than once.
All the important decisions Rick made were influenced by Michonne:
- Going to this new community
- Stop the conspiracy against Alexandria
- Fight Negan and have hope in the future
She has never been content to follow him, but she respects him enough to never question his leadership.
And all this is possible only because she does not try to dominate him, neither to make him feel guilty, nor to belittle him. She does not blame him when he is wrong. She is able to give him her point of view while still trying to understand his. Able to show her disagreement without discrediting him. She always gives him time and space to think when decisions are difficult to make.
And it is for all these reasons that he always turns to her and that they decide together. He knows that she will always tell him the truth not just what he wants to hear. He never sees rejections in her eyes even when they do not see things the same way, even when she is angry. She does not give him the superhero complex: she acts, she does not wait on him, she takes the initiative which gives him a little less the feeling of carrying the world on his shoulders. .
And that’s why he asked her to reorder the world with him. She is the one who has the more influence on him not only because of the love that unites them but mostly because of the respect they have for each other .
This scene, as their story, shows us that they always shared the leadership, that Michonne never been a follower. She is his equal and even more, she is the one who guides him, who influences him in the interest of all.
Rick guides Alexandria, Michonne guides Rick.
Gifs 8x16: @michonnegrimes
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